A Brief Explanation of Title IX for College Athletics

There has been much talk in recent days of Title IX in regards to recent allegations made against current and former Vanderbilt football players.

Title IX has been around for decades, but many people are unfamiliar with it and how it pertains to college athletics. 

It became federal law in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments Acts. Title IX states that "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

As for Title IX, it "applies to all educational institutions, both public and private, that receive federal funds. Almost all private colleges and universities must abide by Title IX regulations because they receive federal funding through federal financial aid programs used by their students." 

How does this law apply to college athletics in general?

 Athletics programs are considered educational programs and activities. There are three basic parts of Title IX as it applies to athletics:

1. Participation: Title IX requires that women and men be provided equitable opportunities to participate in sports. Title IX does not require institutions to offer identical sports but an equal opportunity to play;
2. Scholarships: Title IX requires that female and male student-athletes receive athletics scholarship dollars proportional to their participation; and
3. Other benefits: Title IX requires the equal treatment of female and male student-athletes in the provisions of: (a) equipment and supplies; (b) scheduling of games and practice times; (c) travel and daily allowance/per diem; (d) access to tutoring; (e) coaching, (f) locker rooms, practice, and competitive facilities; (g) medical and training facilities and services; (h) housing and dining facilities and services; (i) publicity and promotions; (j) support services and (k) recruitment of student-athletes.

Each institution under the law must meet these requirements to be considered in compliance.

1. For participation requirements, institutions officials must meet one of the following three tests. An institution may:
   1. Provide participation opportunities for women and men that are substantially proportionate to their respective rates of enrollment of full-time undergraduate students;
   2. Demonstrate a history and continuing practice of program expansion for the underrepresented sex;
   3. Fully and effectively accommodate the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex; and,
2. Female and male student-athletes must receive athletics scholarship dollars proportional to their participation; and,
3. Equal treatment of female and male student-athletes in the eleven provisions as mentioned above.

This is just a brief description of Title IX requirements as presented by the NCAA on their website, which can be found here. 

Title IX became important to the Vanderbilt community over the last week after allegations of sexual assault and rape were made public by female students of the university where one current and two former Commodore football players were named concerning these claims. 

There will likely be more talk of Title IX in the coming weeks as these situations continue forward in the public eye. 

Follow Greg on Twitter @GregAriasSports and @SIVanderbilt or Facebook at Vanderbilt Commodores-Maven.